Paternal Instincts
by Reyelene
Summary: Fidget finally gets his chance of being a real parent ... and it proves to be more work than he bargained for.


**Shortly after their first child is born, Fidget is left alone in the house to take care of her. Here is where his parenting skills are really put to the test. Can you imagine Fidget being a father? Fidget belongs to Great Mouse Detective and Disney, Jeanette ("Jenny") Holloway belongs to me.**

"Hey, don't pull dat!"

It has been a full year since my wife was pregnant with our little Jenny. Niecy had rested well, we both were overjoyed at da sight of our first born child. Dhose big, innocent eyes of hers opened, my face was da first to be seen. "She looks ... just like _you_!" Niecy once told me. Aldhough our child did resemble me somewhat with da gray fur and round eyes, I could see a little resemblance of Niecy as well, especially her mouth and her_ button nose_. I remember holdin' our newborn daughter for da first time. Yes, our_ daughter_! While Niecy was pregnant, she would ask me if I wanted a boy or girl. I told her dat I wasn't picky, dat either one would've been fine with me ... aldhough in all honesty, I wasn't too t'rilled about havin' a child. I mean imagine!_ Me_, a_ father_!? I have been on some crazy adventures, but for someone like _Fidget_ to have a kid!? And yet, here I am now. And it's startin' to become a nightmare!

Little Jenny is only a year old, and already she had strength enough to pull down her mother's curtains. I was sittin' on da couch tryin' to read da newspaper, I only paused once to check on her and she already managed to crawl out da crib. I nearly panicked when I saw her gone, I was t'inkin to myself "Niecy is gonna_ kill_ me," and da next t'ing I see is she had already pulled off her mother's curtains. My mouth hung open and da sight of what happened, and little Jenny looked at me with a big smile on her face.

"Jenny, dat's not funny!"

A baby giggle escapes her t'roat.

"Jenny, dat's not nice!"

What does she do next? She crawls to da coat hanger and yanks my purple scarf! Anudher baby giggle escapes her t'roat. I was relieved my scarf didn't tear with da kind of force she had. She hasn't reached a year yet! I chase her and she crawls away ... _very fast_! And where does she crawl, pray tell? Up da stairs! Oh God, up da stairs!? Not havin' proper balance at her age, she would slip and fall for_ sure_! She makes it up da stairs without so much as a struggle and looks back at me. She smiles just before she continues to crawl away.

"Jenny, get back here!" I yell. You'd t'ink da tone of my voice would've shaken her. Not one bit! She just giggled and continued, she must've t'ought I was playin' a game. I pant for breath. How long had we been at dis!? It didn't seem like long, yet my body felt exhausted! But not little Jenny! She just kept on goin'! I continue to follow her in spite of my lack of energy. I begin crawlin' myself, worried I would pass out any minute. I drag myself forward with my wings as I listen to little Jenny's baby giggles echo from da udher side. Because dhey sounded so cute, you'd t'ink I'd laugh with it, but I was gettin' aggravated. _If I get my hands on dat little kid, I'm gonna BEAT her!_ Oh yes, I was gettin' a strong urge to slap her butt. iI'm/i in charge here, I will _not_ let dis child make a fool of me!

Suddenly, she becomes visible to me. Dis time, she had somethin' in her hand. My jaw hung open as I noticed a familiar round object in her webbed hand: my purple ball of yarn (da one Grandma Maria gave to me)! What did dis child intend to do with it!? Would she be a good girl and give it to me? Or was she gonna do _somethin' else_? And dat's when my anger hit its boilin' point. Little Jenny t'rows da ball over my head, I jump to catch it, but I was too late. As da ball rolled down da stairs, it became undone. I gaze with a mortified stare at da extra mess dat was added to an already existin' mess! Dat's it! Jeanette Holloway, you're gonna get it!

I wait patiently with a devilish grin dat surprisingly entices da child to crawl in my direction. T'ree, two, _one_! As she is inches away from me, I grab her by da wing with one arm and swat her butt with da udher t'ree times. _"Bad girl!"_ A stunned look in Jenny's eyes follows after my moment of instant gratification ... which doesn't last long as I notice tears rollin' down her face, followed by a loud cry. What have I done!? I just_ hit_ a baby! I'm a monster ..._ again_! My mind swims with images of da past, when I was a child, when my mudher punished me over da littlest t'ings in Taylor's defense, when I had to endure sufferin' under Captain Bates's care, when I had innocent victims sent to her to be tortured ... All da progress I t'ought I was makin' since I met Niecy, all dat education with Father Richards, all dat knowledge I acquired when I visited my relatives ... And I just t'rew it all away for _instant gratification_! I hang my head heavily with shame as my own daughter crawls away, continuin' to cry. I can only lift it up to see dat she was crawlin' in da direction of da bedroom and not da stairs. At least she had no intention of goin' downstairs. But how horribly guilty I felt now. My first and only chance of puttin' my fatherin' to practice ... and I _blew_ it!

pI miserably allowed myself to slide down dhose bumpy stairs, so I could clean up da mess dat was made. It was da only t'ing I could do to distract myself, except I wasn't sure it was actually _workin'_. I put up da curtains dat Jenny pulled off, I struggled to focus as I dropped da curtains twice. I quickly hang my scarf back up and gather da remains of my purple ball of yarn. Dhen I hurry back up stairs, I didn't want to leave my daughter alone for too long. I look for her, she was in da bedroom still, cryin' her eyes out. I slowly creep inside, tryin' to be discreet (kinda hard to do it if you have a peg leg), and sat by her side. I want to comfort her, but I'm paralyzed with da coldness I felt. No way she would ever trust me, not after what I just did. I stare at da ceilin' with my right hand on my head. My t'oughts were disturbed only by da tug on my shirt. I look down as I lifted my hand away. It was little Jenny. I would've expected her to kick and scream at me ... But dhen I see her climb on my lap and clutch onto my chest. And what else could I do but wrap my wings around her? I want to tell her dat I was sorry, even dhough she _was_ drivin' me crazy earlier. She is only a baby, playin' what she t'ought was a harmless game. Why didn't_ I_ t'ink it funny!? And would I have been too lenient if I just let her do whatever she wanted? Besides, Niecy would _kill_ me if she saw her curtains pulled off like dat.

"Little Jenny's a good girl," I whispered as I ran my fingers t'rough her hair. "She just_ did_ somethin' bad."

Surprisingly, her weepin' quiets. It is as if she understands me, but_ how_? We haven't really taught her anyt'ing yet. Not readin', not writin', not even how to speak! And dhen ... she did da unt'inkable. She reached up to my face and planted a kiss on my cheek. She has forgiven me. I hold her tight and kissed her forehead. My eyesight blurs with tears. My daughter ... my first born ... my salvation. I realize dat I didn't fail her. A new hope fills my heart. I had plenty of time to teach her what I know. And someday, I _will_ get it right.


End file.
